Tropical Hardwood Hammock Ecosystem

The tropical hardwood hammock is an ecosystem consisting of broad leafed trees shrubs and vines nearly all of which are native to the west indies with live oak quercus virginiana being the only significant temperate species.

Tropical hardwood hammock ecosystem.

In the deeper sloughs and marshes the seasonal flow of water helps give these hammocks a distinct aerial teardrop shape. For example marshland can quickly transition to tropical hardwood hammocks with a dense canopy thin soil and no water inundation. Occurring on uplands 2 to 8 feet above sea level hammocks are hardwood forests consisting of a wide diversity of evergreen and semi deciduous trees and shrubs many of west indian caribbean islands origin. Hammocks can be found nestled in most all other everglades ecosystems.

Ecosystem tropical hardwood hammocks are the climax terrestrial plant community in the florida keys. The soils are well drained and therefore many forests have been converted into housing developments and towns. These habitats function as small island ecosystems that are markedly different from their surroundings. Hardwood forests with broad leaved evergreens are called hammocks.

Subject to thin soils and a tropical climate hardwood hammocks form a dense canopy with a tangle of shrubs and vines at the ground level and its outer edges. Bahama strongback bourreria succulenta bay cedar suriana maritima beeftree guapira discolor bitterbush picramnia pentandra blackbead pithecellobium keyense black ironwood krugiodendron ferreum buttonwood conocarpus erectus cape sable thoroughwort chromolaena frustrata.